Incorrect doc: WebdriverIO Sync

Pre-check

• I’m aware that I can edit the docs and submit a pull request

Describe the improvement

I’d like to report

• Unclear documentation
• A typo
• Missing documentation
• Other

Description of the improvement / report I am trying to test an async helper method I have created in sync mode to make sure users of the helper can use it in both sync and async mode using the following doc Using WebdriverIO as standalone package and noticed the following issues:

• .then((browser) =>
  • Typescript error: TS2339: Property 'then' does not exist on type 'BrowserObject'
  • Looking at node_modules/webdriverio/webdriverio.d.ts I see remote() returns a BrowserObject not a promise
  • If I suppress the error (assuming possible incorrect typedef) and run the test using wdio cli the then block does not run.
    • e.g. }).then((browser) => sync(() => { expect(true).toBe(false); }) still passes
• Can you please add/improve doc to describe how to use a async helper method that uses browser object to work in sync mode. How can I design helper method or browser command that works in both sync and async mode?
  • If I try using my async helper method (e.g.checkIssues()) within the sync() block (without creating a remote, I get a UnhandledPromiseRejectionWarning: Unhandled promise rejection.

       sync(() => {
         browser.url(htmlFileWithIssues);
         expect(() => checkIssues()).toThrow();
        });
    

  • using browser.call() to wrap the async method as described in the doc doesn’t help

     it('should work with sync mode', () => { 
       const sync = require('@wdio/sync').default;
       sync(() => {
           browser.url(htmlFileWithIssues);
           browser.call(async () => {
               expect(await checkIssues()).toThrow();
           });
       });
    

• runner: true,
  • runner is a string, no longer a boolean, needs to be fixed e.g. to runner: 'local' (Fixed in https://github.com/webdriverio/webdriverio/pull/5598)
• Switching Between Sync And Async has a typo: you can still switch between both boths by using the (Fixed in https://github.com/webdriverio/webdriverio/pull/5598)

[christian-bromann]

That is indeed a bug.

Fixed in #5599

[christian-bromann]

How can I similarly make my async helper work seamlessly in both sync and async modes without the user having to know/care about it?

You can just check if @wdio/sync is installed or not.